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tv   The Context  BBC News  April 29, 2024 9:30pm-10:01pm BST

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we're always going to keep those temperatures, though, slightly above the average for the time of year. but still that wind coming in from the east. so at times we will be chasing cloud amounts around. there will be some outbreaks of rain, but it'll stay relatively mild into the bank holiday weekend.
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hello, i'm christian fraser. you're watching the context on bbc news. scotland's first minister
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humza yousaf resigns , throwing the future of the scottish nationalist government into doubt. let's focus on that for a 2nd. humza yousaf standing guard today, announcing just over a year after he was elected. the scotish national party now facing its second leadership crisis in 18 months. asking the snp secretary to begin the process of selecting a new leader as soon as possible. he will remain imposed until that successor is elected to ensure a smooth, orderly transition. 1 a smooth, orderly transition. i am not willing — a smooth, orderly transition. i am not willing to _ a smooth, orderly transition. i am not willing to trade _ a smooth, orderly transition. i am not willing to trade my _ a smooth, orderly transition. i—h not willing to trade my values and principles or do deals with whom ever simply for attaining power. therefore, after spending the weekend reflecting on what is best for my party, for the government for the country i lead i have concluded
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that repeating the relationship across the political divide can only be done with someone else at the helm. —— retaining. i have informed the snp secretary to as party leader and asked that she contends a leadership contest for my leadership as soon as possible. humza yousaf had been discussing a potential deal with alba to allow him to survive as first minister but the snp "old guard" stepped in to block it, alex salmond has claimed. the alba leader said yousaf had been on the phone with alba at 7:30am on monday morning in a last—minute bid to stay on as first minister, even as reports overnight said he had decided to resign. this idea that humza yousaf didn't want to do a deal with is just simply untrue. 7:30 this morning, he was trying to do a deal with alpa and complimented the proposals we'd made as very reasonable. the reason he didn't do a deal with fell apart is the forces
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within his own party who stopped them doing it. let's call them the old guard. see, the ultimate problem for hamzah was he wasn't actually control of his own party, which is why he wasn't able to survive over the next week. no love lost between the old guard and alex salmon. of all the political ironies that he would call on reagan who defected to the party, someone he said was no great loss to the snp. it's an extraordinary turn of events in a short space of time. it's extraordinary _ a short space of time. it's extraordinary on - a short space of time. it's extraordinary on so - a short space of time. it�*s extraordinary on so many levels with upper extremity partly because the first minister believed that by ditching his green targets he could get away with it and the greens would walk out as his calculation was totally wrong. he's putting his party in an absolute mess. they were already in a mass, the snp facing twin crisis first one facing and the rest of nicola sturgeon the husband
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by police, a corruption investigation going on. the snp look divided, spread make dead and many ways for that now we're 28 days to see if we can get the new first minister who can get the backing of the holyrood parliament. if we don't have that within the 28 days we have an election. the people who have wrung their hands are the labour party, the labour party has its eyes on winning big in scotland. part of its path back to powerful them at the moment i think both of polling in the state of the snp are quite woeful. ., . ., woeful. through the central ball in scotland where _ woeful. through the central ball in scotland where they _ woeful. through the central ball in scotland where they did _ woeful. through the central ball in scotland where they did so - woeful. through the central ball in scotland where they did so badly l scotland where they did so badly in 2015. fortunes renewed, no doubt. one of the things i want to ask you, i know you are a keen student of european politics is whether majority parties might look at doing deals with the greens and think it is a dangerous way to go. you look at what's happened in scotland, look
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at what's happened in scotland, look at what's happened in scotland, look at what happened in germany and in other european countries. climate change policy has been popular at the ballot box. do the greens work well in conjunction? it’s the ballot box. do the greens work well in conjunction?— well in conjunction? it's hard to generalise _ well in conjunction? it's hard to generalise because _ well in conjunction? it's hard to generalise because green - well in conjunction? it's hard to i generalise because green parties well in conjunction? it's hard to - generalise because green parties are so different from 100 to the next. you talk about majority parties. remember, the scottish system was set up with a view to prevent majority government. this snp have blown it over to back out of the water over the last few elections. a lot will depend on the precise nature of coalition deals. certainly it seems to be the case at the moment that in an era when some parties, particularly on the centre right seem to be rowing back from climate commitment some green parties are doubling down and having those commitments as a very redlined which they do not want see crossed. in that sense coalition government can be dangerous because the commitment you have to make as the
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snp did under nicola sturgeon was to meet targets. i think they missed eight targets in scotland. people start to ask questions about whether you are effective. you can't come away from those commitments because you are tied into this coalition agreement. it you are tied into this coalition agreement-— you are tied into this coalition aureement. , ., ., , agreement. it can be dangerous. i think that calculation _ agreement. it can be dangerous. i think that calculation by _ agreement. it can be dangerous. i think that calculation by the - agreement. it can be dangerous. i think that calculation by the first l think that calculation by the first minister on this was that he could get away with it and the greens would rather go along with what he was doing to be grudgingly the risk and other election. he miscalculated. in terms of generalisation will depend on the nature of your coalition agreements in each specific national settings. which is why i'm being so reluctant to try to draw general conclusions about this. �* , to try to draw general conclusions about this. �*, , to try to draw general conclusions about thie— about this. let's focus on another issue. british prime minister rishi sunak says britain will not accept the return of asylum seekers from the republic of ireland who crossed from the uk via the border with northern
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ireland. the prime minister has linked the uk's refusal to accept the return of refugees from the republic, to france's refusal to accept the return from britain of refugees who travelled on small boats from french beaches. a key condition of the brexit agrement that took the uk out of the eu was to keep the land border open between ireland and northern ireland, with no immigration checks. this past week the irish justice minister helen mcentee claimed that 80% of asylum seekers coming to ireland had come from the uk. the bbc has asked the irish government what evidence they have for that. merlin thomas has the detail. they wouldn't give us any figures for how many migrants have crossed the land border, and there aren't any publicly available. instead, they pointed to a rise in asylum applications at the international protection office in dublin. they said over 6000 people have applied here rather than at ports or airports in ireland, where you might normally expect people to claim asylum as soon
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as they arrive in the country. the irish government says it's their firm assessment that these people crossed over the land border based on the experience of staff and others in the field. so how much does this have to do with the rwanda policy? well, let's look at the data. this graph shows the number of people claiming asylum in ireland over the past few years. and you can see there's a large spike at the end of 2021 and beginning of 2022. the policy wasn't announced until april 2022, and this spike has been seen elsewhere in europe, in countries like germany and france over the same period. after a meeting with irish ministers this afternoon the northern ireland secretary chris heaton harris said he was assured the legislation proposed in dublin would deal with the repercussions of a decision from ireland's high court, which ruled the uk could no longer be considered a "safe country" for asylum purposes because of the rwanda deal now in place. but mr harris seemed to suggest that recent crossings from northern ireland suggest that in fact the rwanda policy is working.
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we know this is a very important matter for the british people we know this is a very important matterfor the british people and we know this is a very important matter for the british people and we intend to deliver on it. there is no way that we want to upset our relationship with ireland in this space. i say that our governments have a joint commitment to protect the common travel area from abuse whilst preserving the rights of citizens and one in other states. that but the uk government completely stands by. but the uk government completely stands by. let's speak tojohn kilraine, london correspondent with the irish broadcaster rte. what is the irish government trying to achieve? it said it was trying to write something that had been ruled in the high court in dublin. are they actually trying to return those he delete that they perceived to go back to northern ireland or is it more than that?— more than that? they are still
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referrin: more than that? they are still referring to — more than that? they are still referring to it _ more than that? they are still referring to it as _ more than that? they are still referring to it as emergency i referring to it as emergency legislation. but it is only an amendment to existing legislation. it was the high court ruling last month that britain was not a safe country because of the row on people could be deported to rwanda to send asylum—seekers too. this would be an amendment to the legislation. i'll put the situation back to where it was in march where britain was regarded as a safe country. attending the press conference today, the british government seem today, the british government seem to have been alarmed at the phrase emergency legislation. that the irish government were putting in laws that would allow them to deport asylum—seekers to britain. we saw there was a meeting due to take place between the british home secretary and the irish justice minister and that was cancelled by the british side on sunday. however, when clarifying the legal issues surrounding the new legislation that is when you heard mr eaton harris
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saying he was assured. and at the press conference today bolted northern ireland secretary were going out of the way to downplay any bit of a row. going out of the way to downplay any bit of a row— bit of a row. look like a row in some of— bit of a row. look like a row in some of the — bit of a row. look like a row in some of the weekend - bit of a row. look like a row in some of the weekend papers. | bit of a row. look like a row in - some of the weekend papers. there is a dispute even within ireland over how many are actually coming across the border. the average refugee council said we don't have a department ofjustice came to that 80% figure. just because a person has not applied for protection at an airport doesn't mean they automatically cross from northern ireland. where are these figures coming from?— ireland. where are these figures coming from? they don't have any firures coming from? they don't have any figures coming _ coming from? they don't have any figures coming across _ coming from? they don't have any figures coming across the - coming from? they don't have any figures coming across the border. figures coming across the border because they irish border is an open border. there are no passport checks. those figure simply don't exist. there is something happening. last year one third of all asylum—seekers came through dublin airport. now the department of justice are saying that they are getting 91% of applications coming in at the international protection
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office in central dublin. i'll bet 91% they say some people came in with valid travel documents, some people might be in ireland already. and then decided to apply for asylum. but they estimate around 80% now are people who have come across the border. though these are estimates and of course freely admitting that they don't have actual hard statistics on this. it is something that the officials in the department ofjustice are saying, that is what they assess from their experience. but nothing anecdotal to _ from their experience. but nothing anecdotal to suggest _ from their experience. but nothing anecdotal to suggest it's _ from their experience. but nothing anecdotal to suggest it's the - from their experience. but nothing l anecdotal to suggest it's the rwanda bill, the rwanda plans that are forcing it? bill, the rwanda plans that are forcinu it? ., bill, the rwanda plans that are forcing it?— bill, the rwanda plans that are forcinu it? ., ., �*, ., , , ., forcing it? no, that's what seems to be some of— forcing it? no, that's what seems to be some of the _ forcing it? no, that's what seems to be some of the misunderstanding. l forcing it? no, that's what seems to be some of the misunderstanding. i | be some of the misunderstanding. i know chris heaton harris was saying that it seems the rwanda bill is already having an impact. this crossing the land border in northern ireland had already been a factor.
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there does seem to have been an increase now. we saw that last year one third were coming through dublin airport. the other thing is like in other countries there is a 75% increase so far this year and the numbers seeking asylum applications. i know the sound small figures to you but that would mean 20,000 asylum applications in ireland by the end of the year on that rate. compared to just 3000 a few years ago. there's been a great nervousness in ireland ever since the brexit vote if there was to be more hostile regime in britain towards migrants and asylum—seekers that ireland would be... john. towards migrants and asylum-seekers that ireland would be. . ._ that ireland would be... john, thank ou much that ireland would be... john, thank you much for— that ireland would be... john, thank you much for that. _ that ireland would be... john, thank you much for that. thank _ that ireland would be... john, thank you much for that. thank you - that ireland would be... john, thank you much for that. thank you for - you much for that. thank you for coming on the program. what this really shines a light on is generally the complete failure of use wider migration policy. there is no return policy to speak of in any
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country. no return policy to speak of in any count . ., , ., ., country. no, there is a new pact for miaration country. no, there is a new pact for migration that _ country. no, there is a new pact for migration that the _ country. no, there is a new pact for migration that the european - country. no, there is a new pact for migration that the european union | migration that the european union has signed. i think most people are a bit sceptical how well burden sbaring — a bit sceptical how well burden sharing will work under the pack. the deal— sharing will work under the pack. the deal is — sharing will work under the pack. the deal is countries would take their— the deal is countries would take their fair— the deal is countries would take their fair share the deal is countries would take theirfair share of the deal is countries would take their fair share of migrants or pay money— their fair share of migrants or pay money instead. we've yet to see if that system functions at all. every country _ that system functions at all. every country is — that system functions at all. every country is wrestling with this in no country— country is wrestling with this in no country has — country is wrestling with this in no country has come up with a solution for that— country has come up with a solution for that we — country has come up with a solution for that we seem to have ever increasing _ for that we seem to have ever increasing number of people trying to cross _ increasing number of people trying to cross whether it's the channel of the mediterranean. all countries are finding _ the mediterranean. all countries are finding it _ the mediterranean. all countries are finding it hard to prevent those crossings — finding it hard to prevent those crossings from happening in the first place. everyone is struggling with what— first place. everyone is struggling with what to do with those people once they — with what to do with those people once they land. all european countries _ once they land. all european countries have got legal obligations towards _ countries have got legal obligations towards refugees. at the same time most _ towards refugees. at the same time most european countries face strong political— most european countries face strong political pressures to exert a degree — political pressures to exert a degree of control. we political pressures to exert a degree of control.— political pressures to exert a degree of control. we will leave that they are. _ degree of control. we will leave that they are. we _ degree of control. we will leave that they are. we will _ degree of control. we will leave that they are. we will take - degree of control. we will leave that they are. we will take a - degree of control. we will leave i that they are. we will take a short break. stay with us.
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starting tomorrow, supposedly, there will new and more rigorous border check at british ports for medium—risk animal products, plants and plant products. there have been customs checks in place on the eu side since brexit but not this way. and according to the ft the delayed controls on higher risk commoditied might not be switched on, even this week, after concerns within government that the border systems will not be fully ready. a concern echoed in the commons this afternoon by the labour mp stella creasy. from wednesday for the first time to .7 million lorries will be need to be stopped in dover so contents can be stopped in dover so contents can be checked. another 4 million will be checked. another 4 million will be requiring health certificate for the animal products they carry. 5 million will have to pay a common user chart for the privilege of importing goods to the medium or high risk whether or not they're inspected. the cost of business which we know will be passed on to consumers are horrendous and chaotic. these charges only being confirmed on the 18th of april. is
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confirmed on the 18th of april. is she right? i understood that the border controls were supposed to be electronic, paperwork border controls were supposed to be electronic, paper work was supposed to be kept to a minimum, it would be kept on to the consumer. is she right that we're going to see food inflation? ~ , ., ~ , inflation? minimum paperwork, very different to no _ inflation? minimum paperwork, very different to no paperwork. _ inflation? minimum paperwork, very different to no paperwork. there - inflation? minimum paperwork, very different to no paperwork. there are some charges involved. what happens to the additional cost whether they passed on to consumers are not will be up to individual businesses. there is no doubt that the imposition that these checks us can make things slower and more expensive for businesses. ultimately, someone is good have to carry the cost. economists differ on this. there's a possibility that some small european firms will decide it's simply not worth the hassle anymore. it's also worth saying that when the government last delay the introduction of these checks, one of the reasons given was at a time of the cost crisis we don't want to do anything that might increase the rate of inflation. even
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governments there's a recognition that this might have an inflationary impact. in that this might have an inflationary im act. , ., that this might have an inflationary imact. , ., ., impact. in terms of the tailbacks that we saw _ impact. in terms of the tailbacks that we saw at _ impact. in terms of the tailbacks that we saw at the _ impact. in terms of the tailbacks that we saw at the beginning - impact. in terms of the tailbacks| that we saw at the beginning with some of these border checks. i would likely to see that on the front side as they get to grips with that this week? it’s as they get to grips with that this week? �*, ., , as they get to grips with that this week? , '. ., week? it's always very difficult to redict. week? it's always very difficult to predict- partly — week? it's always very difficult to predict. partly because _ week? it's always very difficult to predict. partly because we - week? it's always very difficult to predict. partly because we don't. predict. partly because we don't know whether businesses will decide to wait or we start with the introduction of checks the other way was stockpiling before hand. trade will be disrupted by way of the other. it will either be because there are bigger cues or because trade has been diverted. bear in mind is a series of things for both businesses and ordinary citizens through the coming this year. in the autumn of the eu introduces its new border control system on travellers, which means that people going there for the first time under the system will have to have their fingerprints taken. which again is likely to lead to holdups at the ports.—
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to holdups at the ports. we're out of time. to holdups at the ports. we're out of time- did _ to holdups at the ports. we're out of time. did you _ to holdups at the ports. we're out of time. did you notice _ to holdups at the ports. we're out of time. did you notice i _ to holdups at the ports. we're out of time. did you notice i have - to holdups at the ports. we're out of time. did you notice i have not| of time. did you notice i have not mentioned the legion artist once this week was back you never mention it. you said to be working bottle it. you said to be working bottle it. would in a bottle again and in the playoffs will all go pear—shaped. you will be watching the ipswitch coventry game tomorrow night but that maybe we won't talk again for some time. i night but that maybe we won't talk again for some time.— again for some time. i don't know. were all coventry _ again for some time. i don't know. were all coventry fans _ again for some time. i don't know. were all coventry fans now, - were all coventry fans now, christian. were all coventry fans now, christian-— were all coventry fans now, christian. �* , ., ., christian. best of blocks for the -- best of luck _ christian. best of blocks for the -- best of luck under _ christian. best of blocks for the -- best of luck under the _ christian. best of blocks for the -- best of luck under the middle - best of luck under the middle and say it made the better team win. thank you for your contributions tonight. we will be back sometime tomorrow. dojoin us tonight. we will be back sometime tomorrow. do join us for that. tonight. we will be back sometime tomorrow. dojoin us for that. have a good evening. good night. hello from the bbc sport centre. first to news that premier league
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sides have voted in favour to develop plans on introducing a spending cap. it would see changes to the model from the 2025—26 season onwards. with 16 clubs approving proposals for the premier league to complete the business and legal work. our sports editor dan roan has more. the current system known as the profit and sustainability regulations, that's been controversial because evidently treatment nottingham forces fall and fall. been docked points for breaching a rule that was strict losses over three year period was pushing for a new system which will effectively mean a hard salary known as anchoring. it would seek clubs allowed spending on new players and wages, limited to a multiple of the amount of money earned by the lowest place club in television revenue. those clubs believe it would mean a fair or primarily, a more competitive balance of the time and likes the manchester city may secure
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a sixth title in just seven seasons. there are other clubs such as manchester united behind me and manchester united behind me and manchester city, aston villa who voted against the idea today amid fears it could mean players have to be sold and handed an advantage to european rivals. there is a split within the premier league talks will be advanced with a proper vote perhaps in the summer. the players union have also expressed concern. it's a long way to go but this was an important step forward. having already secured promotion back to the premier league laster on the verge of clinching the title. preston, they are just one foot up 3-0. it preston, they are just one foot up 3—0. it was barred he put them ahead in the first half. —— vardy. it has just finished there laster promoted as champion. 3—0, winners. england rugby union international billy vunipola has apologised
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and paid a fine after being charged in spain, following an alleged incident. the bbc understands he was tasered by police on the island of majorca after they were called to a bar in the island's capital. vunipola called it a "misunderstanding" and said there was no violence. our sports news correspondent laura scott has more. we know that this incident happened at a club in parma on the island of majorca and the early hours of sunday morning. on playing for england and 75 occasions has described as an unfortunate misunderstanding... a hand. we know police were called to the club. we understand he was tasered at a restaurant and later charge and appeared in court. however, he has said in a statement released today...
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having paid the fi we know that the spanish police investigation has closed and billy vunipola is free to fly back to the uk for the what will follow now is an internal process at his club saracens. he said he will cooperate with that and he unreservedly apologises for any inconvenience he caused during this incident. madrid open tennis... over. he was beaten 6—2, six — four who goes on to face in the last 16. let's take you to the world snooker championship in sheffield. the quarter—final line up will be completed later today — and ronnie o'sullivan has booked his place he comfortably beat welshman ryan day, 13 frames to seven. a 52 break in his winning frame helped the �*rocket�* reach his 22nd
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world championship quarter—final. the seven time champion is hoping to get an outright record eighth this year. after the match he spoke about dealing with the pressure being the favorite. , ., �* , , . ., favorite. everyone's expecting that when any tournament _ favorite. everyone's expecting that when any tournament i _ favorite. everyone's expecting that when any tournament i turned - favorite. everyone's expecting that when any tournament i turned up | favorite. everyone's expecting that l when any tournament i turned up to play. i think i grew with that as a play. i think i grew with that as a play. i think i grew with that as a play. ijust been conditioned to dealing with that sort of pressure. that doesn't bother me. it's more the pressure i put myself atop knowing what i'm capable of when i don't produce it. when i find this game hard, my life gets a bit harder. when i find this game easy life becomes a pleasant place again. live pictures from the crucible. two matches tonight, the 2015 champion it is currently 11 frames all. nothing to separate the two meanwhile the four time world championjohn higgins is also against mark allen. first of 13 wins
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there. it is 12—11 at the moment. allen and allen. those matches will complete the quarter finals which starts on tuesday that is all the support for now. we will be back with more later on. we will see you then. hello there. monday brought some bright and breezy conditions for some of us, and in the sunshine it felt pleasantly warm, particularly if you had a little bit of shelter. in fact, we saw temperatures around 17 degrees through east anglia and down into the london area. it was a very different story further west, however. cloud and rain lingered for much of the day and in some spots we had just shy of half an inch of rain. now, if we take a look at what's going to come through tuesday, it will be a similar kind of story. unfortunately, out to the west we'll see quite a lot of cloud and some outbreaks of rain. clearer skies further east and with lighter winds we'll see a little more
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in the way of sunshine. so showery rain across south—west england, wales and into northern ireland through the morning. that low pressure not moving very far, so it'll stay rather grey and damp. we could see a few scattered showers across east anglia and south—east england into the afternoon. but sandwiched in between the two, a lovely slice of sunshine. temperatures will respond, the high teens quite widely here. even in the cloud and rain, well, we'll see temperatures mid—teens for some. some improvement into northern ireland. western scotland keeps a few scattered showers, but eastern scotland a little bit cooler with a breeze coming in off the sea, but it will be largely dry and sunny. so that low pressure just pulls a little bit further out to the west and the wind direction changes to more of a south—easterly. now, to start off with on wednesday it'll be a relatively mild start but that south—easterly breeze, well, that could just drive in a little more cloud in off the north sea and the potential for some showery rain to drift its way along those east coast once again. so west will be best on wednesday in terms of sunshine and potentially in terms of warmth. so we could still once again see temperatures into the mid to high
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teens quite widely. now, as we move out of wednesday, towards the end of the week, the weather story gets a little bit messy. it's likely that that weather front could still enhance some showers across central and southern england. the low pressure never too far away with the best of the drier, brighter weather the further north. we're always going to keep those temperatures, though, slightly above the average for the time of year. but still that wind coming in from the east. so at times we will be chasing cloud amounts around. there will be some outbreaks of rain, but it'll stay relatively mild into the bank holiday weekend.
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tonight at ten: we're live in edinburgh, on a dramatic day in scottish politics — humza yousaf resigns after little more than a year as first minister.
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he'd been under pressure since last week, after ending the snp's power sharing agreement with the scottish greens. i have concluded that repairing our relationship across the political divide can only be done with someone else at the helm. the search begins for a new leader — among the likely candidates, party grandeejohn swinney and former leadership rival kate forbes. we'll be finding out what it means, for scotland and the wider uk, with james cook and chris mason. also on the programme tonight... two men appear in court charged with murder, after a torso was discovered in a nature reserve. flooding devastates countries in east africa — we're in kenya where 130,000 people have been displaced. and any ideas what this is? it's roman, believed to be 1,700 years old and is baffling experts.
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and on newsnight at 10:30...

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